Combine 2008

CombineStats:

Bench Press28.0 reps

40 Yard Dash4.48 Secs

Broad Jump128.0 inches

Vertical Jump36.5 inches

Strengths

Positives: Has a thick, muscular and solid build with good thigh and calf thickness, good chest development, defined muscles in his arms and shoulders and large, natural hands to secure the pigskin...Has outstanding strength, balance and quickness with no problems finding creases, shifting and running over defenders...Did not use it much when injured, but has adequate change-of-direction agility and an outstanding open-field burst...Does not show great swivel in his hips, but can weave and veer through traffic...Has that extra gear and quick feet to make crisp open-field cuts...Has natural feel, good vision and exceptional intelligence to complement his natural talent, possessing a knack to avoid tacklers in the open field...Plays hard on every play and has more than proven that he is capable of playing with pain that would sideline other runners...Hard to bring down once he clears the line and is not the type to run out of bounds, as he will not hesitate to fight for extra yardage...Won't shy away from contact, whether running with the ball or attacking defensive ends and linebackers as a blocker...Understands the offense and blocking schemes well and can easily digest a complicated playbook...Shows no hesitation attacking inside holes (will pause at times bouncing to the outside), as he has outstanding acceleration clearing trash...Has good quickness on the move and knows when to show his extra burst...Has rare ability to see the cutback lane and holes naturally, showing good savvy and ball security as a runner...Sets up and uses his blocks well and even when he takes the pitch, he knows exactly what he is going to do on his next move...Demonstrates power to break tackles and when he gets a full head of steam, even defensive linemen bounce off of him...Good downhill runner, especially when he slips through and steps over the pile...Physically stout runner who runs with powerful strides, showing great balance squeezing through tight spaces...His strong build allows him to consistently run through arm tackles and he is even stronger when he gets into the secondary...Rarely brought down by the initial tackler, getting lots of yardage after contact...Once he turns the corner, he shifts gears naturally (could not do this when playing with his ankle woes) and shows very good acceleration when taking the pitch...Covers up the ball well getting through traffic (only one fumble in 2007 and five in three seasons)...Has excellent awareness to protect the ball on kickoff returns...Despite his stocky frame, he is an ideal special-teams player who can instantly take the kickoff upfield...Not used much on fancy routes, but he has the speed to challenge the secondary...Fluid and quick through route progression, as he understands coverage and knows where to fit when working underneath...Alert to the blitz and gets into position on screens...Has dependable hands and does not struggle extending for off-target throws (can pluck out-side his frame and adjust)...Has very good toughness as a blocker, whether gaining position to mirror or putting his hat into the opponent...Does a nice job of setting up in pass protection to give the quarterback room to operate.
Negatives: While he has shown the ability to play with pain, he has a long history of ankle problems dating back to 2002 and further medical evaluation is needed...Inconsistent following his blocks on outside runs and takes a moment to recognize that protection developing...Has excellent timed speed, but is not a darting runner with great shake-and-bake moves, preferring to run through tacklers rather than get too fancy with juke moves...Has good change-of-direction agility, but is a bit stiff in his hips, which could be an attempt to compensate for ankle injuries that limited cutting ability...Has good blocking technique, but despite his impressive weight-room strength, he won't stone defenders with a crunching hand punch (more likely to chip with purpose on the opponent rather than try to punish him, but he is very willing to face up)...Has the speed to turn the corner, but is sometimes caught and is more slippery than elusive.
Compares To: LADAINIAN TOMLINSON-San Diego...Tomlinson and Stewart share a rare blend of power and quickness running between the tackles. Stewart has not had that many opportunities as a receiver, but demonstrates good hands to get to the pass outside his frame. He did not show his outside running ability much, more due to his ankle and other injury problems, but there is no question that he can take the ball to the house when he gets past the line of scrimmage. With his special-teams skills, he will get a lot of playing time as a rookie. With Darren McFadden being the darling at this position, teams really need to examine these two before deciding who will be the first tailback taken. McFadden collides with defenders and runs too tall in his stance to avoid injuries and one look at his performance in 2007 and you will see he had fumbling issues. If Stewart's ankles check out, teams should not hesitate to select him over McFadden. Stewart is less of a risk than either of the Razorback runners and, if his legs hold up, he'll be a punisher in the Tomlinson mold. That's hard to beat.